Pandemic + In the Lab & On the Brink Expansions - Shut Up & Sit Down Review

[@Rawyr]

Eradicating in In-The-Lab is still a good idea. The rules say you can use any cube in place of an eradicated disease cube as samples

[@jackdempsy7104]

You brilliantly described the problem more experienced Pandemic gamers have: fight the temptation of becoming leader bully. Knowing the problem exists allows for the leader bully to work to stop themselves from doing it. Great review, as usual!

[@wolfweidner5740]

I only playe legacy seaosn one , but I do see the issue. with legacy (and a fixed team) you dodge that. i enjoyed us getting better and the game getting harder.

[@MrSDionysos]

According to this video you can solve the alpha player problem with Pandemic: On the Brink

[@Aerinx]

@@MrSDionysos If there's only one player causing that and they play terrorist, yes. Otherwise...

[@pacoin51]

@@robertahearne423 i always have trouble with doing this with risk haha

[@donashcroft93]

The problem is with he player who does that not the game. I've found this game has the whole table work together to crack the problem and I've only ever played it with one problem player everyone else I've played it with (even those with a bad habit of back seat gaming) have embraced the cooperation not tried to take over and tell people what to do. More often than not you will have someone come out with an idea and that will start a table wide discussion of what's the best course of action until we all turn to the player whose turn it is and ask if any of that helped. It's not a game for quiet players or shy people who struggle to be part of a group conversation without feeling overwhelmed but most of the time it does a good job of stopping any one player trying to take over by being a game any player can be just as strategic about not just the game master in the group.

[@stumbling]

The irony of not being able to play Pandemic because of the pandemic.

[@ohuckabee]

Could be worse. You could be lamenting not being able to play Nuclear War.

[@RonaiHenrik]

I played it with my girlfriend during the lock down and were discussing exactly this :D

[@danielmoran3578]

When you make the most obvious joke first so it gets the most likes

[@commandercaptain4664]

Group chats: *exist*

[@hughjazz5608]

Weirdly for me its the other way around

[@ShatteredCiv]

Hi from future quarantine, march 17, 2020!

[@alexanderreistad6466]

Hi from future quarantine, december 5, 2020!

[@atrumangelus9733]

@@alexanderreistad6466 Hi from future quarantine, April 28, 2021!

[@djb3v]

Clowns

[@thatguyboymanek1530]

Kid, it doesn't get better. I'm preparing you for the future

[@landonmel3070]

@@atrumangelus9733 hi from future quarantine august 5, 2021

[@NVRMTmotion]

Just found a first edition Pandemic at goodwill for $3, complete and in great shape! Gona surprise the family with it next weekend with a "too soon?" ☺️

[@chinacharltan]

If you want to skip past the Pandemic walk through and go straight to the expansions: 7:37

[@lugo8824]

Oh fantastic! Do you also have a link to skip through the actual pandemic right now?

[@TheShanicpower]

@@lugo882420:22

[@Jackthetattedone]

JFC thank you.

[@jeffmcarthur5617]

This is so crazy to be watching this in late 2020.

[@TC_Capitalist]

Binge-watching SUSD videos during an actual pandemic, I was honestly stunned to find a board game reviewer making one of my favorite cocktails @_@. Pro-tip, or should I say, obsessive-hobbyist-tip, the penicillin is much better if you ‘float’ the Laphroaig on top of the finished drink using the back of a spoon. The smoky nose that this gives really elevates the experience.

[@khyrodon]

Just played this the other week now that we’re allowed people over again in Scotland. Bought it right before lockdown so I could make my family play it during a pandemic. Great game, you’ve got to plan it it well, but sometimes two cities start outbreaking right next to each other and you can’t stop the chain reaction in time.

[@Illianor123]

I lost Pandemic on the very first turn of my very first game. Drew a lot of black cards for the initial infections, then drew an epidemic on the first turn, another black. Then flipped some blacks and created a chain reaction that used all the black cubes. We’ve played card our entire lives so the decks were heavily shuffled to begin. Just (un)luck of the draw. Had a lot of fun with it since.

[@alicev5496]

Listening to this in 2020 sure is something

[@elemen_ts13]

then we realize that Covid-19 was created and spread by a Bio-Terrorist

[@thecrazything95]

@@elemen_ts13 Your brain fell out, might wanna get that checked.

[@elemen_ts13]

@@thecrazything95 nah too busy listening to taylor swift

[@Comred22]

I love the cocktail tutorial at the end! I’d totally love to see these at the end of each video!

[@Rocky_L]

I originally heard the name of the drink as "Hennecillin" the first time he said it and envisioned the maim ingredient being Hennessey, and now I've got a variant to try out.

[@GretSeat]

Right before the pandemic hit in 2020, we had friends over for a game night... What game did we play? Pandemic.

[@ColorfulPockets]

For me the biggest draw of Pandemic expansions is just making the game harder. Once you get to a certain point you've figured out the best strategy, or at least the best you can come up with, and your win rate doesn't change.

[@stopandlisten6070]

I watched this to decide on buying a board game, but I wound up buying whiskey instead. How dis happen

[@NebDaBrush]

Was that whiskey at least good or are you keeping it for the future.

[@kenken-ss7jn]

Good choice

[@pimentoloaf1509]

Pandemic standard is bad. Try legacy.

[@elemen_ts13]

@@pimentoloaf1509 YEEEEESSSS

[@scottcameron174]

Been watching your videos in reverse order from May 17th 2020 and was looking forward to this one as we're still in a pandemic.

[@OrichalkosTV]

love the review but -10 points for displaying that horrible move at 5:41

[@watcherfox9698]

It's so bad they showed it twice. It's also at 2:10.

[@itskelvinn]

Thank you for pointing this out

[@syd4890]

Cant play pandemic without in the lab exp now. Makes the game so more thematic and fun

[@phoenixtone]

Always wondered if I should get these. Thank you for the review! Always loved pandemic but after a while it gets a bit too easy

[@SpottedLabCoat]

Krandum Phoenix I can't recommend Pandemic Legacy enough. Each game is effected by how the last game ended. There is a video on that too.

[@MrDeadcell22]

I've wanted this game for quite a while and being this deep into an actual pandemic.. well how could I resist further?

[@kiebow]

FYI Laphroaig 10 is one of the cheaper single malts. It's smokey and peaty as is typical of Islay whiskies, unlike the more popular floral, Highland whiskies such as Glenfidich or Macallan. good choice. it's one of my favorites.

[@Illianor123]

I lost Pandemic on the very first turn of my very first game. Drew a lot of black cards for the initial infections, then drew an epidemic on the first turn, another black. Then flipped some blacks and created a chain reaction that used all the black cubes. We’ve played card our entire lives so the decks were heavily shuffled to begin. Just (un)luck of the draw. Had a lot of fun with it since.

[@alexanderpopov3587]

Very nice review and thanks for the cocktail recipe. Laphroaig is my favorite Islay whisky. Looking forward hearing your opinion on the "State of Emergency" expansion as well.

[@maximilian9000]

I have found that my groups new to the game are almost as upset by me NOT quarterbacking as when i do.

[@a11312]

I’ve always played with everyone’s cards face up. What’s the point of keeping your hand private when you can communicate what you have anyway?

[@No-tw6qj]

Blimey I'm 5 years too late but I found the way around the leader bully is first game or two let them do as they wish but kind of explain a few things, then as it progresses start explaining more, explaining the status of the board and what is likely to happen and what needs to be done but also realize you are human and failable too and ask if someone sees a better solution. It always works out for the best.

[@kincbrlue7947]

I had physical pain from the purple disease sticker being off from the rest.

[@elemen_ts13]

YEEEAAAA

[@haruruben]

I like the cocktail bonus tutorial

[@fulsame1]

AHHHH, MAATTTTY NO! You never shake a cocktail unless it needs to be an emulsion. Basically, if it doesnt get foamy, dont shake it.

[@MrTombombodil]

So you would just pour it all straight into a glass and mix it? *serious question*

[@alefoot]

@@MrTombombodil Citrus in your cocktail? Shake it. No citrus? - stir.

[@PleaseGetLowderNow]

Ha!! My friend Sam invented the Penicillin cocktail. Worlds colliding seeing it made in a SUSD review!! 😂😂

[@dillenbeck53531]

My observation: the "leader bully" (quarterback or alpha gamer being other terms) is not because Pandemic has a solution, but from the belief that the goal of the game is to win in the most optimal way. This is a bit of Euro-gamer-itis that infects all board games and just doesn't work with real cooperative games. A real cooperative game isn't won by winning the game in the most optimal way, it is won by winning the game as a team. if you are a euro-gamer who must absolutely always play in the most optimal way, or a math teacher who insists that a math problem can only be solved the way you teach, then you are missing the point. I recommend either learning to let go of being such a control freak and having fun, letting yourself being surprised at how different avenues can be used to solve a problem, or go play a euro game instead. Just to emphasize, you're not playing the game wrong or doing it wrong. It just doesn't match your play style if optimal paths to victory is more important than victory as a team. Heck, your optimal move may be proved wrong in the very next card draw. That said, yes there is a skill involved in winning - but too many people think there is a solution to each game and there really isn't. Maybe it will be a more harrowing journey if you "bully leader" the group - but you know what, it just means that you have a much more exciting and tense journey where everyone at the end will feel great about it.

[@JCPRuckus]

I'm sympathetic to your argument, but that just seems like an odd way to frame the issue. Presumably most people would want to win in the most optimal way if they knew how. The problem is that your teammates don't and you do. When you don't really know whether what you are doing is actually getting you closer to winning or not, then it's hard to criticize anyone else for what they're doing. When you know very much what will or won't get you closer to winning, then it becomes very easy to criticize people who you know aren't getting you closer. It's not about being "controlling". It's about the fact that it's hard to watch people who are ignorant (of the game mechanics) flail around and bring you down with them... I mean, it's a game. Don't ruin people's fun if you can help it. But it's not a character flaw to not want them to ruin your fun either as you watch them make you (and everyone else) lose. It's not a question of "optimal win" vs "team win". It's a choice between "fun team win with un-fun bossiness" and "un-fun team loss with fun team interaction". And you should probably pick the second, but it's a more nuanced situation than you pretend.

[@noerisgil754]

I bought Pandemic and it gives me anxiety waiting for the epidemic card.

[@CriticalEatsJapan]

The virulent strain and the new roles are really good

[@dalibor.]

Hilarious review of great game AND unexpected cameo of my favourite single malt whiskey 🥃 What is this? Christmas? cheers mate!

[@ChipoXD4]

I died a little when i saw how the purple sticker was place on the board - Nice video though

[@FrostedBrownies]

It's the card though, not the sticker, otherwise I would've died a little too.

[@BennysGamingAttic]

Can our world leaders play a round of this right now? Please?

[@kylespade5958]

Boris, Donald, winnie the poo, and... Angela? Or supreme leader ayatollah...I'd pay to see this.

[@Groovebot3k]

My favorite flavor of this game type remains The Captain Is Dead.

[@Jarmo60]

Where did you buy those transparent round low plastic boxes or do they come with an extension? Thanks

[@burmabaines]

Still haven't got this. That needs to be rectified.

[@neilgrundy]

10 points for the review but minus 6 for teaching people how to ruin Laphroaig.

[@sketchguy9132]

Yeh, and how to pronounce it :)

[@skunk12]

Laphroaig is ruined by drinking Lagavulin 16!

[@bw2247]

Favorite video - maybe even on all of KZbin!

[@jikiv694]

I prefer Pandemic Iberia. I like the theme more, it looks better, and I think the characters are more balanced. The extra modules it comes with just makes it even better!

[@Bada4ever]

Great episode! I love Pandemic. I know it suffers from Alpha Gamers, but you just have to not play with those types of people or just get them drunk. I'm still trying to buy On the Brink 2nd Edition!!! So sad...Thanks for this episode!

[@Ady555]

Laphroaig and Ballentines on the same table? (bloah)

[@Luna-df3ny]

This intro aged well....

[@itskelvinn]

6:50 The difference in expertise isnt that big of a deal because I think it only takes like 2-3 games to fully "master" it. You pick up the game awareness and game situation quickly and its not like the skill cap is very high

[@REDNECKNERDVT]

Laphroaig is a single malt scotch whisky, Scotch is from Scotland... Laphroaig is named after the area of land at the head of Loch Laphroaig on the south coast of the island of Islay. Laphroag is believed to mean the hollow of Broadbay or simply broad bay. In summation, not french or the frog. although whiskey folk often refer to it as the frog just because that's just how it sounds.

[@SonofSethoitae]

In the industry, we refer to Matthew's comment about Laphroaig as "a joke"

[@VandalAudi]

...ironically "le frog" is a single malt whiskey.

[@OctapezOficial]

This is one of my favorite games of all time.

[@douglasprice4177]

Ginger wine + whiskey = shortcut ~penicillin

[@xanadu1215]

Ahhhh Tiki-Bar TV returns in SUSD

[@commandercaptain4664]

0:14 2020: I felt that.

[@Poolmow]

Great review, but my OCD was flaring up at your placement of the sticker for the purple disease ^_^

[@kevinjohnsonsieman8490]

could you give me the example how to "fly" pilot role works ?

[@ultraklebestift]

And we're all back here in 2020 ...

[@jeremyslather]

They need to make a new expansion of cards. Like "antiv-csers riot and refuse to get the life saving vaccine and cause an outbreak" or "random dude-bro refusing to wear a mask at a crowded event causes an outbreak" as events because now we know those things can occur.

[@twanvanlierop]

love the cocktail recipe!

[@ItsBigIan]

Sadly, On the Brink is currently out of print.

[@Yazeed99]

It's being reprinted right now: www.zmangames.com/en/upcoming/

[@heathwashburn194]

It's been "at the printer" for a year.

[@XShrike0]

What? Z-Man Games has something out of print? That never happens. /sarcasm

[@adamwhitehead7289]

Yup. I put this on backorder last year and after six months they cancelled the backorder and apologised to say they have no idea when it'll be reprinted again.

[@bentyh6460]

Its up for pre-order on amazon, ships next week

[@ansz4406]

Awesome video. I love the original game. I am going to buy the expansions after watching your review

[@itskelvinn]

5:41 that was an awful move

[@davidadams6863]

Hi this is the end of 2020, and we're locked down with a mutant strain on the rise

[@funkoxen]

Matt has great hair at the moment. He should never ever cut it. He would look a total fool.

[@godforbidme]

Yeah, his hair was absolutely amazing in 2014 ;)

[@funkoxen]

theoretically I watch this channel for the bleeding edge game reviews and in depth discussions of card drafting mechanics.

[@marcoanonymous8434]

Mmmm....the 'leader'-role can be tricky, but one must allow others to play their own game. Now, there's nothing wrong with giving advice, but 'as a leader', just be careful not to drive your point home.

[@LOCKHEARTS8]

Can you play pandemic with both exp.. Its possible ;

[@scyobiempire4450]

I love playing as the Bio Terrorist, a bit easy for me (my family isn't the best at working together). Combined with State of Emergency, the game ended in 15 minutes because of many outbreaks in the animals. My Purples didn't help... 7.5/10

[@acegammer5]

This game hits different these days...

[@wolverine3333]

its very sad playing this game with your family when you stay at home on quarentine.

[@dan-gy4vu]

It's even sadder when your family doesnt want to associate themelves with boardgames at all.

[@poison_plays]

Edit: I had posted my comment on the wrong video, and have now posted it on the correct one.

[@Nick_Whiskey]

You guys make me spend too much money

[@noggogplays2147]

Havent played this game a ton, but the few times I did I was turned off. The mechanics of losing simply because you ran out of event cards seems like a cop out. The world should feel like it's falling apart at the seams to lose, not just, "oh no. We managed the plague pretty well all things considered but I guess time is out". In Eldrich Horror, they have a similar timer, but instead of just being a losing trigger, it simply amps up the difficulty by bringing the Old God down to the realm. Much more natural and thematic than just "you lose, cuz".

[@noahgarcia3743]

You sound like you could do a great Captain Jack Sparrow impression

[@AndyLevey]

Dude, any relation to Matt Leacock?

[@alejandrolaguna203]

People talk about the Simpsons predicting the future but SU&SD are on another level

[@mobilemollusc615]

Id love to play this game but... Well you know

[@kenken-ss7jn]

No ice in whiskey

[@NapalmJustice]

This intro has aged beautifully. No sarcasm. I've been really wamting to play this lately.

[@cslewis47]

relevant

[@vanhovemare]

frog = grenouille

[@anamosamapper7521]

You're about two years too soon...

[@danielmoran3578]

How original.

[@anamosamapper7521]

@@danielmoran3578 I know, I'm very original

[@Crocks4311]

Seems a lot like a sillier, more complicated version of Forbidden Island

[@taureleafsilver]

Same game designer!

[@freyasage8981]

I feel like the governments of the world are playing this game right now 😵 hits close to home...

[@asherwerner]

Pandemic annoyed me because i find the best thing about games to be the fact that you are playing against another person. coop games with no hidden info make pandemic boring for me. a good coop game is the hunt for dracula because you are tying to outsmart one other person and each have some special cards/hidden info

[@dragen3]

Sounds like for your play style. You would prefer Pandemic with On The Brink. I am one of the people that prefers full cooperative so basic Pandemic works well for me. Although i do plan on getting the expansions.

[@proto303]

how relevant

[@jacobkletzien5003]

wasted an action at 2:12

[@CompressionPolice]

Is there an expansion that simulates the world purposefully resisting help?

[@Daye04]

Who's watching this during the pandemic?

[@danielmoran3578]

What an original comment.

[@susantummon3463]

I am...sadly three months after your comment.

[@arielless1118]

Adrian brody

[@deanc9195]

8:23 unabomber

[@Jessie_Helms]

If only this video dropped today

[@danielmoran3578]

How original.

[@mrozzdude]

@@danielmoran3578 doing a comment search it would appear there was no other comments like this, so yes, original :)

[@MrDarillion]

Well... This is very relevant with the latest plague to hit the earth

[@The_DorkLord]

Uhh

[@danielmoran3578]

[insert coronavirus joke here] Everybody: Oh how funny and original! I get it because right now we're inside LMAO so funny that's going in my try not to laugh compilation!

[@mr.t7846]

The most iresome aspect of Pandemic is that the players start out in Atlanta to save the world. Because the American Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are seated in Atlanta and were supposed to be the best national agency at battling diseases. In reality most other national services were better prepared and organised, but even in board games you gotta have some American Exceptionalism! *sigh*

[@dragen3]

At the time Pandemic was released in 2007. It is entirely possible that The Atlanta Center for Disease Control was the best starting point for dealing with the simultaneous outbreak of 4 unique diseases across the globe. However Pandemic was made well before the Orange Moron decided to either neglect or actively sabotage America's ability to respond. I say neglect or sabotage because i want to leave the possibility of just stupidity as an option instead of assuming maliciousness.

[@DrMcFly28]

Matt, Matt, MATT! You seem to be reviewing stuff at an alarming rate! Stop man, you'll burn out!

[@OriginalPiMan]

Alarming rate? This review is 4 years old.

[@DrMcFly28]

You are 4 years old.

[@zebragiraffe2837]

Matt can see the future

[@citizensguard3433]

Well then... A year early, were we not? Clairvoyance or coincidence... Perhaps some other C-word, I dare say, is appropriate, my good sirs.

[@cruye9633]

Hah.

[@Pandaman64]

I always loathed pandemic. Every experience I've had just drains the fun out of the room, as everyone realizes they're just moving cubes about. It's just this old, clunky, unthematic game. But I'm glad to see other people enjoy it though. Someone should. It just can't be me, or anyone I know haha.

[@chinacharltan]

That's interesting. For me and my group though, we love Pandemic for it's epic theme. Saving the world!! . . .

[@kingxerocole4616]

I'd hesitate to recommend Pandemic Legacy Season 1. If you don't enjoy Pandemic's gameplay, you probably still won't enjoy the Legacy game. But it does add a lot of theme and meaning to the loop.

[@Pandaman64]

I LOVE the theme. The problem with it is how the the rules of the game run counter to that theme. Like, the rules for passing cards, and the game ending one you run out of cards to draw, made our first play of the game run extremely flat. We were literally just beginning to enjoy the game when whoops, game over. Out of cards. I guess the scientists all got bored of saving the world and wanna get home to catch the newest episode of [insert show you like here].

[@chinacharltan]

I see. I guess it is not for everyone.. Of the dozens of times I've played this, we've only lost the game that way once or twice (running out of a draw pile), and that was when we were still new to the game and were making sub-optimal decisions. Yes, that was not pleasant, but we are the type of players who get fueled on by defeat. The rules for passing cards kinda made sense to me. I imagined it as scientists needing to visit a specific location to obtain the physical data and sensitive information obtained in that specific area (sharing knowledge). Also, I recommend always playing in legendary mode (max number of Epidemics). Even when we lose, we feel super hyped after getting hit that hard!

[@Pandaman64]

So for you to pass me the moscow card, which thematically represents virology data compiled from moscow, we have to meet in moscow? You having the card already represents your scientist having the information on hand. It's just kinda clunky to me. It's one of those rules that make me say 'Why is this like this'? And the answer is inevitably 'Because it is a board game'. And you're probably right to play on higher difficulty, where running out of cards is the least of your worries. All the other, more likely ways to lose are pretty thematic and great. We played on the easiest setting because we already got done playing both forbidden island and desert on higher difficulties, and just wanted an easy win while we were learning pandemic.

[@republikadugave420]

Pandemic is the most overrated modern board game... Simple as that... Pandemic legacy season 1 is kinda cool, but as in the standard game, the game can just kill you without you having a slight chance.... I have sold my copy because there are far better cooperative games out there...

[@ModernPlague]

What co-op games do you prefer?

[@MG-oj7rr]

Basic pandemic is like next step from Uno, or like cooperative ticket to ride... obvious choises strips game of meaningfull actions and rather makes it a luck of a draw... most disapointing game i ever bought. That sayed, if you think you lack of coop ticket to ride "chalenge" or uno got a bit boring, sure ;) you might just like this game.

[@ModernPlague]

Innacurate assessment. No way is it like UNO or just luck of the draw.